i think you can grow it about anywhere. it won't take frost, so it's done when the weather gets cold. it is drought resistant for sure! i love it and will turn over an entire field to it next year. thanks to cindi for getting me started on it!!

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.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called the government. They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

Thanks Kathy! Where did you get your seed from? Also I don't plan to harvest when the buckwheat is done, so will the local wildlife ( turkey, doves, etc.) eat the seeds? Also will the deer eat buckwheat? I have to watch what I plant with them, they mow everything down

i paid 45 dollars for 50 lbs. had to special order it. next year i'll by 100 more lbs and finish that pasture.

here is how it worked at my place. i planted in an the old cow pasture where i keep my hives. nothing had been done to this pasture in 5 years except mowing. i did a superficial rototilling. just enough to break up the surface. i scatter planted just before a rain storm, but the next week the temps went to 100 and the week after down to 60. there was some rain between planting and very early june, then none. in spite of minimal rain after germination and early growth, the bloom was prolific. we have had only a couple of days of minimal rain since the 9th of june. even so, and with no irrigation, the buckwheat is still blooming and the bees are still on it. the main bloom is done, but there is a chance of more growth if the rain comes and the frost hold off until the end of september.

we had snow and freezing temps into april and early may. i hope that a normal spring next year will allow for earlier planting next year, and a better crop. my plan is to break the ground up a little again, finish planting the pasture, and over seed the area already planted if there is extra seed. otherwise, i'll just leave it and see what comes back up.

pretty impressive crop. minimal work to plant. no maintenance.

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.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called the government. They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

i only did about .5 acre in the buckwheat as a test. next year will be about 2 acres and if that goes well, maybe another 2 or 3 the next year.

as for yield, probably only a few pounds this year. i messed up this spring and didn't feed as long as i should have. the spring was so bad, and i didn't keep as close an eye on things as i should have. because of the bad weather/forage, and my inattention, they hives were set back badly. i lost one and almost lost a 2nd. it is from a couple of good swarms that i'll get whatever honey i get. my overwintered hives were sad this year :-(

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.....The greatest changes occur in their country without their cooperation. They are not even aware of precisely what has taken place. They suspect it; they have heard of the event by chance. More than that, they are unconcerned with the fortunes of their village, the safety of their streets, the fate of their church and its vestry. They think that such things have nothing to do with them, that they belong to a powerful stranger called the government. They enjoy these goods as tenants, without a sense of ownership, and never give a thought to how they might be improved.....

I am planning to do the same thing next year. I have my pigs turning over a field (about 1 acre) for me this year in the spring I'll harrow it and sow with buckwheat. And put the pigs to work on the next field. one of the links above said the an acre of buckwheat could yield 150lb of honey to a strong hive.

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Sting me once shame on you! Sting me twice I guess I should have learned faster!

How are you guys planting it? I broadcast mine and then lightly till it under. Has anyone used a grain drill? Just curious. The window for planting it in Missouri is over but I have some that is in bloom now and the girls are working it.

That's a lot of buckwheat honey...We looked into buckwheat and found Japanese folks that would provide the seed and pay you to grow it. Apparently the Japanese love buckwheat. Buckwheat honey is dark and strong flavored. I don't care for it.

you can drill in buckwheat, but i would broadcast it (use a fertilizer spreader) and disc it in - especially if i was doing 75 acres. follow the recommendation of the local extension office on rates and planting dates - it is common enough they will have info.

do NOT buy the seed from some on-line place that sells it by the pound. you can find a local ag supplier that will sell you seed at lower costs than these places that think a 50# bag is a lot. if it were available, i would find a mill that sells "bin run" buckwheat and just use that - no need for a special variety if you just want cover and bee crop.

as mentioned, the plant dies at frost (or anything close to frost!) but if you don't harvest it, you will definitely have more buckwheat the next year! it will rapidly reseed and keep coming back.

if you have never seen it, it is an odd looking seed - sort of a pyramid shape, pointy and hard, with a tough seed coat. might not feed so well in some drills - another reason i would just spread it.